Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze ** (1975, Ron Ely, Paul Gleason, William Lucking) – Classic Movie Review 8756

The 1966-68 TV Tarzan Ron Ely assumes another pulp fiction character, this one based on Kenneth Robeson [Lester Dent]’s Doc Savage stories.

Britain’s Michael Anderson directs the 1975 American action film Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, a spoof version of what was originally a straightforward adventure story about the Doc and his five Amazing Adventurers chums going to South America to investigate the murder of his father, battling the maniac Captain Seas (Paul Wexler) and finding Inca gold. It also stars Paul Gleason as Long Tom, William Lucking as Renny, and Michael Miller as Monk Mayfair,

Legendary sci-fi producer George Pal’s last film is pretty daft but acceptable stuff, with Ely suitably cast and equipped with torn shirt and deadpan delivery. Alas there are some feeble performances from the support cast, lame special effects and weak set designs.

Also in the cast are Eldon Quick, Darrell Zwerling, Janice Heiden, Pamela Hensley, Paul Wexler, Robyn Hilton, Bob Corso, Carlos Rivas, Chuy Franco, Alberto Morin and Victor Millan.

Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze is directed by Michael Anderson, runs 112 minutes, is made by George Pal Productions, is released by Warner Bros, is written by George Pal and Joe Morhaim, based on Kenneth Robeson [Lester Dent]’s Doc Savage stories, shot by Fred Koenekamp, is produced by George Pal, and is scored by John Philip Sousa.

The 15th screen Tarzan, Ron Ely played the title role in the TV series Tarzan (1966-68), and in two movies made from that series in 1970.

The cast are Ron Ely as Clark “Doc” Savage Jr, Paul Gleason as Major Thomas J. Roberts, William Lucking as Colonel John “Renny” Renwick, Michael Miller as Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Blodgett “Monk” Mayfair, Eldon Quick as Professor William Harper “Johnny” Littlejohn, Darrell Zwerling as Brigadier General Theodore Marley “Ham” Brooks, Paul Wexler as Captain Seas, Pamela Hensley as Mona Flores, Bob Corso as Don Rubio Gorro, Federico Roberto as El Presidente Don Carlos Avispa, Janice Heiden as Adriana, Robyn Hilton as Karen, and Victor Millan as King Chaac.

Ron Ely in the 1966–1968 NBC series Tarzan.

Ronald Pierce Ely (June 21, 1938 – September 29, 2024)

The 6’4″ athletic Ron Ely is best known as Tarzan in the 1966–1968 NBC series Tarzan and as the star of Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975). Ely also starred in the Western adventure film The Night of the Grizzly (1966) opposite Clint Walker.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8756

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